Editorial: Make good on Sandy aid pledge

Jul. 12, 2013

Gov. Chris Christie was wrong when he asserted back in March that homeowners who sustained more than 50 percent damage to their homes, and began rebuilding them before they applied for federal grant money, would be eligible for reimbursement for work already completed.

No amount of rhetorical tap dancing changes that — or lessens the governor’s obligation to make it right.

Christie can’t be faulted for providing what he believed to be correct information at the time. But his administration does deserves blame for failing to immediately set the record straight once it learned homeowners would not be reimbursed.

As reported in a story by staff writer Ken Serrano on Friday, “Pledge of aid proves empty,” Christie was asked at a town hall meeting in Manasquan four months ago whether homeowners could begin rebuilding their homes before applying for a federal grant under the $600 million Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation program administered by the state Department of Community Affairs.

He replied, “We’ve worked this out with the federal government that if you make arrangements now to have your home raised, that we will be able to reimburse folks for that, OK?”

That apparently wasn’t the case. In June, three months after Christie’s original assurances, people began to find out the DCA was not reimbursing them. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development said its rules prohibit reimbursement to people who suffered more than 50 percent damage to their homes and began rebuilding before being officially accepted into the grant program.

Those devastated by superstorm Sandy, particularly those who have sunk tens of thousands of dollars into rebuilding their homes, can’t be blamed for feeling as if they are under siege again.

Christie must now do all he can to make good on his original pledge. His administration says it is still in negotiations with HUD. It must play hardball so that money for those who rebuilt early, based on the governor’s statement in March, will be made available.

On Friday, after reading our story, Rep. Frank Pallone sent a letter to HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan urging the agency to reconsider its position on funding. Other Shore-area federal legislators also should urge HUD officials to make the funding available to homeowners who proceeded with rebuilding under a false assumption.

If HUD won’t alter its position, Christie must find money in the state budget to compensate those who began to rebuild. If, for some reason, that isn’t possible, Christie should turn to his wife Mary Pat Christie’s charity, the Sandy NJ Relief Fund, for help reimbursing homeowners.

The governor was wrong about the funding. Homeowners shouldn’t have to pay the price. Christie and the state’s elected representatives must do everyone they can to make things right.